The Best Way To Gloat
Is not to gloat.
I think we all know that. But we still do it for some reason. Why?
History is against us and we can sit and complain about what happened in the Garden of Eden all day long. Still today, pride and envy plague the best of us because we’re human. It has the ability to overcome us and bring the worst out of us.
My latest bout with gloating was more in my head. It had to do with the confusion on why Albert Pujols is playing so poorly with his new team, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
As a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fan, I wish so many great things for Albert Pujols. He gave us so much and I wish he would have stayed in St. Louis. I wish the negotiations last fall would have gone better. Oh I just wished he would have just come out and said that the decision to leave was complicated and it involved so many factors that only he, his family, and God knew. As of today Albert Pujols is batting .197 with only 1 homer after over a month of play in a new uniform with a near record 10-year contract. His performance thus far is hardly the impact compared to his previous 11 years batting well over.300 and belting 30-40 homers a year. As a Cardinals fan, he has made it quite easy to gloat especially since his team is in last place and St. Louis is in first. Even though I wasn’t openly laughing about Albert Pujols, in my heart I certainly was.
I’ve made my peace knowing that the Cardinals will move on and of course be fine. Albert Pujols is by far one of the greatest players of our generation and he’ll get his game back in due time and hopefully make an impact for his new team. I pray more that he’ll continue to embrace humility in this time to ultimately give more and more glory to Christ for why he is where he is. After all, his faith made as much of a headline as did his bat.
My encouragement is this:
If you are holding that grudge, let it go.
If you have an inner smile when someone you don’t like messes up, give it up. It will eat you up for years to come and you will never live free and wise to be the person God wants you to be.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. - Proverbs 11:2 (NIV)
Thank God it didn’t end for Adam and Eve that fateful day because in God’s plan, Christ took on their sin. He took my sin. He took yours.
Albert Pujols will forever be my reminder that God’s grace overcomes my gloating, my pride.
Stop worrying about your “Albert Pujols” and open up your heart to God.
When you do this, your ability to live free is glorious.
3 Reasons Redshirt Kindergarteners Exist
I was impressed with the 15 minute story on 60 Minutes this week about “Redshirt Students”. I became aware of this issue since having kids and if you do not know much about it, you can read a great article in Huffington Post. To summarize the issue, many parents are holding back their kids to start Kindergarten a year later. Why? The idea is so their kids will be older and have an edge on other students. They could be physically bigger to be more developed athletes (read Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers on Canadian Hockey players). They could be more advanced in the classroom. They could eventually be the first to drive at 16 to have a social edge. They could also be better leaders just for the fact of being older. It seems to be an issue affecting boys more than girls but nevertheless it is happening to both. I envision a Tiger Mom’s saliva dripping from its mouth at the thought of this.
There are plenty of negatives to this like being bored in the classroom, have behavioral issues, trouble relating to the younger students, etc. Yes, it is confusing for the kids.
But this is not about the kids.
Photo Credit: Premus
Brooke and I have two wonderful, unique, and imperfect girls. Our oldest daughter will be starting a Pre-K class next year so this issue hits home as we observe what other parents do for their kids. Brooke and I could technically hold back our daughter a year from Kindergarten and start her at 6 1/2. Yes, 6 1/2, which is crazy to us. Despite being the youngest in her class, so far she has every ability to keep up with the older kids. There are many instances of younger kids need to be held back, which is understandable and shows how each situation is unique.
The idea of redshirting students reminds me of my experience dealing with some of my friends’ parents at a young age. When I was even eight years old, I knew that these parents were pushing my friends at every sport. They verbally abused them, practically broke out a whip to keep them practicing, rarely praised them, etc. It was disgusting and if they were smart enough to start their kids earlier in school, they would have (maybe they did). But most of my friends who were pushed around so hard by their parents were stressed, unhappy, and eventually ended up in serious therapy (or should have). I am thankful for my parents were not pushy but encouraging in that process and ultimately helped me to be successful in the things I was most passionate about in those years.
Why do parents do this?
There are three reasons:
- Envy: They see other parents’ kids “succeeding” early in life. They see it as necessary to make sure their kids do the same or better. It is pure envy.
- Fear: God forbid their kids would not be the best in something or not succeed. They feel the need to “protect” their kids because they fear failure.
- Pride: Even parents want to feel significant. Perhaps it is through their child’s success? Perhaps they are trying to make up for some issue in their own life and forcing it on their own kids? But pride is at the root of all of this.
The redshirt life is about safety, control, and lack of adventure.
Brooke and I have discovered as parents how easy it can be to be caught in this trap. The idea of redshirting our kids is a reminder that Brooke and I need to give our kids up to God. We want to be great stewards with the gifts God has given us, especially our kids. But ultimately this all is a reminder that we need to give up control. God reminded me this week through 2 Timothy 1:7 (King James),
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
There will be many more times we will encounter issues like this. May we all be in prayer for our kids and to also ask God to reveal our own hearts in the process. The verse above is about trusting God, thinking with the good mind he gave us and to always act in love for our children.
Not So “Tweet” Reactions…
We live in a reactionary culture; in church, politics, sports, and just about everything in-between. The firing of ESPN’s headline writer Anthony Federico is the latest example of this.
I am the problem. Here is why.
After New York Knicks’ Jeremy Lin’s first loss as a starter, Federico wrote that there was a “Chink in the chain”. Jeremy Lin is of Taiwanese descent so to me and many others, the headline was cutesy racism that went overboard and it just made me mad. Here was my reaction on twitter the morning after reading (from other media sources) about the ESPN headline issue:
This was my reaction. Instead it was just a ”reaction to a reaction” because all I did was pay attention to what everyone else was saying, especially the media, civil rights groups, etc. I joined an online mob.
The ESPN headline writer was fired soon that day. I learned that Headline writers like Frederico have to come up with quick headlines every few minutes. Federico claimed that it was an “honest mistake”. Saturday Night Live did a great job with their sketch highlighting the hypocrisy of who can say what about races and get away with it.
Messages like mine are what puts ESPN in a position to fire someone without learning more and listening to all sides about why this happened. ESPN acted in cowardly fear. They were wrong and I was wrong. Who gets hurt? A promising young career is knocked down in the form of Anthony Federico, the 26-year-old who posted this headline. Anthony Federico issued this incredible apology after he was fired by ESPN. Read it here. I was impressed with his candor, thoughtfulness, regret, but also a helpful explanation about how it happened. He happens to be a Christian, which is relevant because I understand more about why he did this. Jeremy Lin is also a prominent Christian, which makes the media firestorm even worse.
After reading Anthony Federico’s response, it caused me to look deep in the mirror. I failed. I reacted. I was lazy and didn’t take the time to understand all sides of this story. I can think of dozens and dozens of instances where I have jumped to conclusion too quickly and people got hurt. Most of the time I was wrong and should know better. What I learned today is that I should have more of the character of Anthony Federico. I’ll leave you with his words:
My solace in this is that ‘all things work together for good for those who love the Lord.’ I praise God equally in the good times and the bad times.
Anthony, I am sorry. You don’t deserve this. We all owe you this apology. Please forgive us all.
Follow Anthony on twitter, he seems like a great guy. @antfeds
Are you a Scout or a Statistician? (Innovate Like Moneyball Part 2)
This post is Innovate Like Moneyball Part 2 so try to read that first.
I recently heard a great spot on NPR from Frank DeFord about the fascination with Jeremy Lin, the Asian-American New York Knicks basketball sensation. Jeremy Lin has become the latest version of Tim Tebow. Anyone looking at his previous stats would say he was an average backup player to having no chance at an NBA career at all. Pretty soon, scouts will be saying things about their recruits as having “The Lin Factor”. It’s that special thing about him that gets fans excited while executing on the court (or field) in an amazing way.
In Moneyball fashion, can a statistician find a Jeremy Lin?
Perhaps, but it would be a long shot and they’d need some divine help. Here is why.
Life and business can be only calculated so much. I’m asked all the time in marketing from clients how we can have better “quantifiable” results. It always amuses me because a client definitely wants life to be put together in an organized fashion that they can control like a wizard. Don’t we all, especially when money and reputation is at stake?
Left photo: Tim Tebow. Credit: Barry Gutierrez / Associated Press Right photo: Jeremy Lin. Credit: Frank Gunn / Associated Press
A statistician would say that people like Doug Flutie, Tim Tebow, or Jeremy Lin are flukes. They rose to the occasion when given the chance and delivered but their overall stats might be considered mediocre.
Ultimately life and business should be both about quantifiable and qualitative results. That is how the best research is done to understand stats and behavior.
Clients say they want the “Lin Factor”,”Apple Factor”, or “Nike Factor” for their brand.
Can you quantify how to get that? That’s not the point. We should celebrate the statistician and the scout equally. When working well together, that “Factor” can happen and I’ve seen it time and time again with teams I am a part of.
The result can be “greatness”. And you know it when you see it.
Innovate like Moneyball
Confession:
I have a romantic love affair with Baseball. It may be weird to you but it isn’t to me.
I left my baseball love, St. Louis, seven years ago to move down and be with wife Brooke. I have quite enjoyed Nashville but the physical distance from St. Louis baseball only grew my love for the game. Nashville unfortunately isn’t known as a baseball town but when I meet another “real” fan of the game, we immediately are friends regardless our favorite team. These days, I follow box scores like it is my balance sheet.
Brooke and I just watched Moneyball (2011) starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. This is based on MIchael Lewis’ bestselling 2003 book. Hands down, this is the finest baseball movie since Bull Durham/Field of Dreams. Critics call Moneyball the baseball movie for nerds but I think it is made for all of us. It has inspired me to act and here is why.
If you have not see the movie, here is a summary. Faced with putting together a baseball roster 1/4 the budget of the NY Yankees, General Manager of the Oakland A’s Billy Beane had enough. Year after year, he would develop amazing players only to be robbed by them in free agency by rich teams like the Yankees or Red Sox. Instead of drafting players solely by basic stats like batting average, home runs, and RBIs, with assistance, he employed computer-generated analysis and found a better way to rate players. This idea stressed the greater importance of “on base percentage” (hits plus walks and being hit by pitches), which gives their team a statistical advantage over time. And it worked albeit with heavy opposition of the idea for his first season in 2003.
Was it easy? No.
Did the “establishment” scouts cry foul and think he was crazy? Yes
Moneyball should awaken the “innovative spirit” within all of us. Whether in business, school, personal life, church, or your little league team, we must pay attention to the dragon that needs to be woken in us.
I lead a marketing team in publishing and there isn’t a day that goes by when I just wish there was a standard to go by. Marketing Plans I wrote only 6 months ago can seem archaic compared to what is needed in today’s complex publishing environment. I think in ”context” so it is particularly harder for me to stretch to innovate and think through better ways of doing things. But the past is the past and we can still learn from it. But…
The world is changing faster than I’m writing these words.
So here is where we go. Here is where I need to go with you.
When someone says “that’s just the way it it is” or “that’s how it worked before”…
Pause.
Question the status quo.
Focus on the outcome and that will tell you how to play in today’s world.
If it didn’t work today; research, try, fail, try again, and keep learning. You will get there. But you can’t just keep pulling out the “driver” when you need what you really need is to hit a cut 3 iron. (I apologize for the golf lingo, I can’t help myself)
Innovate and swing away.
Reminded by the Summer Dew
This morning I stepped outside and looked out at my back yard. The coffee was just right and I decided to take a stroll around the yard.
I stepped into the grass and my foot became engulfed with dew.
Those steps became a reminder of my summers when I was young. I was blessed to move at the age of 8 across town in Kansas City to a little nine-hole golf course. It was there that I spent most of my summer mornings waking up early and hitting the dew soaked tee-box to begin a fun round of golf with my neighborhood friends. We were blessed with one of the finest junior golf programs in the city and it was in those years that I fell in love with the game.
Occasionally none of my friends could play so I would join a group of retired gentlemen. These men loved having a “youngster” join them to play. They played a relaxed pace but still kept score and honored each stroke with patience and routine, while paying close attention to the rules. They kept accurate score, called penalties on themselves, and would laugh and talk about all sorts of things in life. Most importantly, they took the time to invest in me by teaching etiquette and that golf is a great game to play by yourself for a challenge. With that, they taught me by example that relationships you can develop in a golf-foursome are invaluable. Last, watching these gentlemen play showed me that the game was a sport that could be played until they day I die. Even at the age of 8, it was clear to me that this game would never go away.
I’m pretty sure I became a morning person because of the game of golf. This is why I’m writing this now in the wee hours. I don’t play much golf anymore since I have a young family and my mornings are spent clowning around with them. My kids will soon be spending their summers at sports and other craft camps so it will be interesting what connects with them. Their stories will be written in the next few years and I can’t wait to read them.
The circle of life continues…
Tell me your favorite summer sports story when you were young! What did you learn from it?
The European Mega Run Ten Years later
Sometimes in life we are blessed to witness greatness. I remember 10 years ago this month I had the privilege
of being part of a feat that few have accomplished.
Have you ever met someone who ran a marathon a day for 2 months straight?
Well I did.
They all ask, “Why would someone in their right mind do that?”
Well I shall tell you about the great Neil Garrod.
First, a short history lesson.
In 1451, King James II of Scotland persuaded Pope Nicholas V to grant a bull authorizing Bishop Turnbull of Glasgow to start a university. That act initiated what became Glasgow University. Flash forward 550 years to 2001. It was a goal of mine to graduate early from college so I could live and work abroad. Scotland was a love of mine since visiting a few years earlier and I began preparing for what I could do there. The possibilities were endless. I secured a 6 month work visa, packed my bags and moved to Scotland on New Years Day. I found a job doing finance research for Professor Neil Garrod who was dean of Glasgow’s faculty of law and financial studies. Soon after working for him he made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.
The conversation went something like this:
Dave: “You want me to do what with you?”
Neil: “Right, drive a camper van with me through Europe for a few months. I’m going to run from Rome to Glasgow.”
Dave: “What? Wait…Why?!?”
Neil: “Because this is life. Let’s go.”
Dave: “Okay, why not?”
Neil was a serious marathon runner and wanted to find a unique way to celebrate the 550th Anniversary of the university. He would run the possible path of where the bull would travel from Rome to Glasgow.
It sounded exciting to me so I embarked on this journey with the British version of Forrest Gump. I was in charge of driving the camper van so I flew to Belgium to pick it up. It would take three days to drive down to Rome where the race began at St. Peter’s Square. I drove through Belgium and made a quick stop to visit Bastogne. Next, I drove to Dijon, France and then another leg across the Alps passing Mont Blanc and to Genoa, Italy, which rests on the Mediterranean Sea. It got interesting when the camper van was broken into while I was away eating dinner. My passport and a credit card were stolen but thank God they didn’t take my Credence tapes (Big Lebowski fans out there?). I had to quickly repair the driver’s side window with plexiglass and limped my way down to Sienna where I would meet up with Neil Garrod and his family. I was exhausted from that experience so it felt like the ultimate retreat in Sienna. There we would eat amazing Italian food, drink the best wine and enjoy conversation with people from all around the world. I think Neil thought I handled the whole robbery situation with calm but the truth is I was freaking out in my head the entire drive from Genoa to Sienna.
On the day the run began in Rome I was able to receive a new passport from the American Embassy and was on my way. The first few days were spent trying to escape the population centers and get to open road. The most memorable days were running through Florence/Firenze and then through wine country (Chianti) when Neil ran about 50 km (over 30 miles) in one day. We went through amazing towns like Sienna, Castellina in Chianti, Donato, Bologna, Firenze, and Aosta. Somewhere along these roads I cracked the van’s rear bumper and broke yet another window running into the side of an extended gas station roof. It’s amazing I still am given insurance to this day.
The daily routine would be to wake up at 6am, eat a big breakfast and Neil would run 5-7 miles. We would stop, eat, and I would ice Neil’s knees. Following that, Neil would do a couple of afternoon runs. Every night we would finish it off with a bottle of wine and eat some of the most tasty pasta one would ever dream of. The routine was difficult but incredibly rewarding. Observing Neil and his discipline for running only motivated me to run with him. So I joined him most days and built up stamina to go 5-6 miles. When we reached Aosta near the French border, I left the team and went back to America for my friend Heath’s wedding. I handed off the baton to another young student who helped Neil finish the race to Glasgow. It was sad to leave but Neil always made me feel part of the team. I heard later that the day after Neil finished the 1500 mile run, he flew down to South Africa and ran a 100 mile, 2 days race. To this day I’m convinced that he is not human.
I could write for days about the experience. Neil kept an extensive diary during this trip and you can read it all here.
During the Mega-run I grew up a bit. I made the effort to embrace adventure, took some risks, and understood how to lean on God when I was lost. What changed me most of all was learning to embrace “spontaneous experiences” that God puts in front of me. I had the choice to stay in Scotland but the Mega-run was definitely one of those experiences to seize. Before moving to Scotland I wrote my bucket list and running a marathon was a priority item to attain.
The year after the run, thanks to the inspiration of Neil Garrod, I finished my first marathon in Chicago.
Thanks Neil.
Be spontaneous my friends. Chose your own adventure. Ultimately it is God’s adventure in you.
Love of Golf, Love of Team
When I was 8 years old my family moved across town in Kansas City and found a lovely house that sat above the first hole of an executive (shortened) 9 hole golf course. Like most kids that age, I was playing soccer, baseball, basketball, and tennis. Later I even tried football. I was doing way too much but my parents were just trying to test out what I enjoyed and fit me best. My grandparents that year bought me my first set of golf clubs to try out this new sport. Thankfully we had a tremendous local junior golf program and I began that journey.
I was truly hooked at 11 when I played my first golf tournament outside of that course. It was the United Commercial Travelers Junior Golf Tournament qualifier for the state of Missouri. It was a mere 9 hole qualifier and the night before the area received a lot of rain, which discouraged many players from even showing up. The field ended up being about a dozen golfers qualifying to go to the national tournament in Victoria, British Columbia. I can’t even remember what I scored that day but it was enough to earn the victory and get a free trip to Canada for the tournament. My dad accompanied me on that memorable trip.
I remember thinking, “Wow, all golf tournaments must be like this. Winning is pretty awesome.”
I remember not playing very well in Canada but what it did do is hook me into the game and I began quitting other sports. The person who taught me golf told me I had to either quit baseball or golf, my swing would be mess unless I did so. My summers became filled with traveling around Missouri and Kansas, playing in golf tournaments and spending endless hours practicing on the driving range and putting green. Golf to me was perfect for my personality at the time.
Individual.
Me versus the course.
Me versus the others.
It thought it was perfect.
My college days playing for The University of Evansville
When high school came along I played on the school team. For the first time in my life I was part of a team. A golf team? It is an individual sport, right? If you have seen The Ryder Cup or The President’s Cup you usually witness a spirit among those players that is unlike any other time in their individual tournaments. You will see high fives and cheers for each other in individual matches to succeed as well as select formats of two-man best ball and alternate shot. In team golf there are still individual awards for lowest score but the most important prize goes to the team that wins.
I was hooked.
Throughout high school and eventually in college golf I was a moderate success on an individual basis. There are 5-6 players that play in tournaments and I was usually the #3-#5 player. I don’t recall any major wins individually but I do remember every big win our team made. Even on a day I had a double-eagle in a high school tournament, what was more prominent is that our team, The Webster Groves High School “Statesmen” won that tournament and eventually went on to the state championship tournament. I was elected Captain of the team so it was my duty and pleasure to celebrate that feat. It felt amazing.
The 1997 Webster Groves HS "Statesmen" golf team
Life is individual. It is your life to live. But you can’t live it alone and you surely cannot succeed without others. Even most professional golfers have a team of people with them to motivate, teach, and even just listen to them. Most of us in our jobs today work on an individual basis. That mentality is wrong. Look at any successful person in life and you’ll discover their teams.
I love the teams I’m a part of today: Thomas Nelson Publishers where I work, my church, St. Bartholomews, my men’s group, my close friends from Young Life, friends in Kansas City, St. Louis, Evansville, and Nashville, and I would be lost as can be without my family.
My last hole in my college golf was memorable. I duck-hooked my drive into a lake and ended up with double-bogey. I remember being mad at my self because I felt like I let the team down.
But you know what, I graduated a semester early and later the team won a big tournament that spring. That is what I remember most. I’ll take the Ryder Cup competition any day.
Tell me about your teams.
PS I don’t know what it is but these lines from the crass movie Team America: World Police always make me bust out laughing. Hope you do too.
Spottswoode: Remember, there is no “I” in “Team America”.
Intelligence: [pause] Yes, there is.
A Case for Unity during The World Cup
Yes, it’s that time. It only happens every four years. Yes, it’s the World Cup. What do they call it? Soccer? Football?
Who cares, right?
Check this out first.
4 billion people will watch. The Super Bowl averages around 100-110 million. The Olympics averages around 247 million daily viewers.
The 2006 final between Italy and France attracted 715.1 million viewers, the largest single television event in history from what I’ve learned. The 2006 World Cup attracted a 26.29 billion non-unique viewers.
No comparison.
If you are an American reading this, you still may ask “Who Cares?”
Well to start, USA is a big underdog. Countries with populations 1/10 the size of ours are picked to do better than us. On June 12th, USA will face England for the first time in 60 years in a World Cup. And yes, we beat them then! In the USA, we are overwhelmed by so many sport choices so what is the big deal with soccer? I grew up playing the game and continue to follow it as best as possible despite living in a town without a professional team. The passion is there.
Years ago, I lived in Scotland and became friends with a German who was traveling there named Tobi. We stayed in touch and I even visited him in Germany later that year. We agreed to meet up to travel through the UK again a couple years after that. Along that journey with other friends we met an amusing British guy named Curtis. We all stayed in touch after our travels and agreed that the next time we’d meet would be in Germany 3 years later for the World Cup. I became married in those years to Brooke and so the four of us traveled throughout Germany and we were fortunate enough to see Togo play South Korea. It was an unbelievable experience and I cherish every part of it to this day. The World Cup was what unified us that year. Thank God our teams didn’t play each other, though. But, on June 12th, Curtis and I most likely be speaking during that game. Ultimately we all will be friends and are looking toward 2014 in Brazil to meet up again.
We begin our journey to Germany
A German, an American, and a Crazy Brit
The Scene
So far, this is the best video I’ve found capturing the spirit of the World Cup.
It’s not just about the World Cup. It’s about the connection of cultures, making friends, and enjoying the adventure.
You may not play soccer and may never want to but you can’t deny what this sport has done as a bridge for cultures.
There are so many ways to use sport to connect and heal the wounds. In Nashville alone here are a few:
Sports Servants: A great friend of mine Zac Hood took the courageous step to start up a Non-Profit called Sports Servants in 2005. Zac recognized early on in his visits to Belize that the one unifying thing he could get kids to enjoy together was sport, and in particular, soccer. It is what has brought together villages across northern Belize to enjoy. Cultures have been brought together by this tremendous gift.
Nashville International Cup: Annually, a group meets comprised of Mexicans, Arabians, Hispanics, Kurdish, Sub Saharan Africans, Bantus, Asians, etc. to play a tournament. 90 players from 14 countries. These are immigrants and some of them refugees coming to America for a better life. It’s amazing because many of these people were enemies back home but are able to come together for the love of a common game. This takes place today and tomorrow.
World Relief: A friend of mine, Karen Barnes volunteers with this tremendous group here in Nashville that provides assistance to immigrants and refugees. You can read more about Karen’s experience in her blog about “Serving Refugees.” If you take a moment to look around your town, you will discover dozens of nationalities around you who need assistance.
So this next month, use The World Cup as a way in your community to connect with people other than your nationality. Learn about their lives, invite them over for a meal, and if you will, go play a game on the pitch.
Here are a few other fun resources in celebration of The World Cup:
Top soccer Movies I’d recommend: The Game of Their Lives/Miracle Match, Victory, Green Street Hooligans, Bend it like Beckham, or Fever Pitch. There are many more but these always bring a smile.
Last but not least, the latest blog from Stuff White People Like will have you on the floor.
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